Cambridge city councilors blast city manager over handling of Gates' arrest aftermath

Jillian Fennimore

Tuesday

Jul 28, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 28, 2009 at 8:33 PM

For the past week, city councilors say they have been kept in the dark about the details of the Henry Louis Gates Jr. case and decisions City Manager Bob Healy has made on behalf of Cambridge. On Monday night, a handful of councilors took Healy and Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas to task for not keeping them informed about past news conferences and in the loop about the decision to form a committee to investigate the city’s police department.

Did the city manager, police handle the Gates arrest aftermath the right way?(surveys)

For the past week, city councilors say they have been kept in the dark about the details of the Henry Louis Gates Jr. case and decisions City Manager Bob Healy has made on behalf of Cambridge.

On Monday night, a handful of councilors took Healy and Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas to task for not keeping them informed about news conferences and in the loop about the decision to form a committee to investigate the city’s police department.

Councilors also said they were not given the recently released tapes of the 911 call and radio transmissions made during the July 16 incident. The tapes were made public to the media Monday afternoon after a press conference.

“I am concerned that I had to learn about the city’s steps through the media,” said Councilor Marjorie Decker. “It leaves us out in the dark in a way that is unacceptable and inappropriate. The city council has not been talking because we have not been properly briefed.”

Healy, in his defense, said this past week has been “hellacious” for the city, and it was not his intent to offend councilors by not keeping them informed.

“The police commissioner and I have been working nonstop for the greater good of this city,” he said. “If I did not serve some city councilors in a way that they thought I should, then I apologize… I have been silent this whole week in the media. It was time that Bob Healy [said] something.”

Gates was arrested on July 16 after a woman reported she saw a suspicious male trying to get his way into a Ware Street home. It turns out the home belonged to Gates, who had just returned to Cambridge from a trip to China. Gates was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct by Police Sgt. James Crowley, who said Gates was yelling and making a scene. The charges were dismissed last Tuesday.

The decision to drop the disorderly conduct charge against Gates and halt any prosecution against the Harvard professor was made after a discussion with Haas, District Attorney Gerry Leone, and Walter Prince, an attorney representing Gates at the time. It was made for the “global good,” Healy said.

“It was in the best interest of the city and all parties involved,” Healy said Monday night. “It was an attempt to put the matter behind us.”

Councilors argued that if they were kept on the same page with Healy, they would have been able to address the hundreds of e-mails from concerned citizens sent to them over the past week more properly.

“We should have been notified,” Councilor Tim Toomey. “I think we have done a disservice to the citizens.”

Even Mayor Denise Simmons wasn’t notified about this Monday’s press conference at the Cambridge Police station until less than an hour before it occurred, Councilor Ken Reeves said.

“This was terrible treatment of elected officials who deserve better,” he said. “You left the team out.”

Haas said the investigation committee - made of "policy research professionals" to analyze the police department’s policies, make recommendations, and find ways to avoid a situation like this from happening again - is just in its beginning stages.

“My goal here is to weather the storm, get back to business, focus on our residents, focus on the police department,” he said. “It’s unfortunate and it’s painful but its also an opportunity for us to put a milestone in the ground.”

Wicked Local Cambridge

Did the city manager, police handle the Gates arrest aftermath the right way?(surveys)

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